Closure-holding and return spring



l8, w J. HYDE CLOSURE HOLDING AND RETURN SPRING Filed July 7, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIZYIIIIJQ" \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\RQ&\

April 18, 1933 w. J. HYDE 1,903,923

CLOSURE HOLDING AND RETURN SPRING Filed July 7, l9 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v v"A Patented Apr. 18, 1933 FFECE WILLIAM JAMES HYDE, or LonnonnNGLAnDCLOSUBE-HOLDIN G AND RETURN SPRING Application filed July 7, 1932,Serial No. 621,249, and in Great Britain June 2, 1931.

This invention relates to improvements in door or like return springsand locking means therefor. I

The main object of the present invention is to provide an arrangementwhich will. enable a dooror the like tobe held at any desired degree ofopening and yet to be capable of further opening and when released to beautomatically returned to the predetermined degree of opening.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings'in whichFigure 1 is a sectional plan view, Figure 2 aside elevation and Figure 3an end elevation. Figure 4: is

a plan view of a modification, and Figure 5 a plan view of a furthermodification. Figures 6, 7 and 8 are views of a further modification,Figures 6 and 7 being sectional plan views showing the parts indifferent positions and Figure 8 an elevation.

Referring more particularly to Figures l3, 1, 2 are L-shaped pieceswhich are hinged together by a pin'3 and are provided in one of theirlimbs with apertures at for the recep tion of screws for securing thepieces to the door frame and door respectively. The other limb ofL-shaped piece 1 is formed with a socket 5 in which is clamped by ascrew 6 or in any other convenient way one end of a coil spring 7 theother limb of theother L-sha-ped piece 2 is bifurcated as indicated at 8and is bored at 9 so as to allow the easy passage and guidancetherethrough of the other end of the spring 7, the edges at the bores 9being preferably bevelled or rounded to preventthe coils of the springfrom being caught. As best shown in Figure 3, the axis of pin 3 and thelongitudinal axis of the spring 7 are in cruciform relation.

Pivotally mounted at 10 within the jaws of the bifurcation 8 is alocking device in the form of a thumb piece 11 having a beak orprojection 12 which is adapted when the locking device is swung intolooking position 2}) to enter between any two adjacent coils of thespring 7. V i

Thus, when it is desired to holdthe door in any desired degree ofopening, the door is moved to that desired degreeand then the as shownin chain dotted lines in Figure locking device 11, 12 is moved intolocking position so that the spring 7 is secured at both ends and thedoor is held by the spring. If now the door be further opened the spring7 is compressed and the door is returnedto the selected degree ofopening. by the spring 7 when the door is released. Obviously thelocking piece 11,12 can be moved into engagement with the spring 7 at apoint such that the spring returns the door to its fully 0' closedposition after it has been opened and released. If the locking piece 11,12 be held out of locking position the door can be opened .or closedfreely, the spring 7 sliding freely through the bores 9 in thebifurcation 8.

Moreover, the force exerted by the spring may be increased bycompressing the spring before engaging it with the locking piece.

Preferably and as shown in Figure 1, the socket 5 is of annular formsoas to leavea spigot 13 which is drilled to receive a shank portion '14on the screw 6,the shank portion entering between the coils of thespring 7 In the modification illustrated in Figure 4 instead of hingingthe two L-shaped pieces .75 together they are unconnected each piece 1and 2 being adapted for securing to a door and door frame respectively,as by screws passed through openings 4. This form uses a spring 7corresponding to said spring 7 It also employs guide means 8, lockingmeans 11 and pin 10- corresponding to parts 8, 11 and 10 of thepreviously described A form.

It will be understood that the construction described with reference toFigures 13 would be employed in cases where it is considered desirabletosupplement the hinge mounting of the door. Obviously also this hingedconstruction could be employed in place of the usual door hinges, theL-shaped pieces 1, 2 in such aconstruotion preferably being extended togive an increased hinge area.

The arrangement illustrated in Figure 5 is particularly suitable for useon doors and door frames of somewhat light construction and with'theexception of limbs 15, corresponds to Figures 1 to 3. In this form theL-shapedpieces are designated 1 and 2" and are pivoted together at3",each being provided with one of said limbs 15 the whole v frame.

forming in elfect -shaped sections two adj acent limbs of the I beingadapted to be secured as by screws to two faces of any convenient partof the door frame and to the face and hinged end of the door, such anarrangement distributing the lead over a greater area. In this form, thespring 7 guide means 8", pin 10 and locking member 11", correspond tothe parts 7, 8, 10 and 11, respectively, previously described.

The locking piece or pieces 11, 12 is or are so arranged as, when swungout of locking position, to remain in this position. In order to allowthe device to be used with either left or right hand doors, while stillenabling the locking device to be located on top, the aperture for thepivot 10 is, as shown in Figure 3, duplicated so that either aperturecan be employed to receive the pivot.

In a modification instead of clamping one end of the spring in thesocket 5 in the L- shaped piece 1 the bifurcated construction and thelocking piece is duplicated so that if it be desired to use the door asan ordinary unsprung door both locking pieces can be moved out oflocking engagement with the spring whereupon this latter can be removed.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figures 68, there areprovided as before two members 16, 17 adapted for attachment to the doorand door frame 18, 19 respectively, the member 17 being provided with alimb 20 to afford additional purchase on the door In this modification,the locking piece 11, 12 is dispensed with and in its place there areprovided two nuts21, 22 to serve as abutments for the members and whichare internally threaded to conform to the helix of the spring 7 a(corresponding tospring 7) so that the nuts can be screwed along thespring which latter passes freely through an aperture 23 formed in themember 16. The spring is as before secured to the other member 17 but amodified arrangement is preferably employed, the modified arrangementpreferably consisting in forming the member 17 with an aperture which isinternally threaded to conform to the helix of the spring which can thusbe screwed into the aperture: a plug 24 may be screwed into the end ofthe spring to reinforce it and if desired a lock nut 25 similar to thenuts 21, 22 may be'employed to lock the spring securely in the member17.

In operation, it will be seen that with the parts in the position shownin Figure 6, if the door 18 be opened the spring will bedistorted orbent laterally only, untilthe nut 22' is engaged by the member 16. Ifthe door now be released, it will be shut by the spring 7 and the.shutting force can be regulated by the nut 21 which can be screwed onthe spring to check the movement of the door resiliently to any desiredextent. In other words, if it be assumed that the normal length of thespring is that shown in Figure 6, and the door be slightly opened, thenby screwing the nut 21 up to the member, it will be nut can be adjustedso as to cause the door to close without appreciable slam or noise.

It will be seen that during the movement of the door from the positionshown in Figure 6 to that shown in Figure 7, no effective compression ofthe spring takes place, the distortion being one of bending only. If itis required to supplement shutting effect due to this bending of thespring, this is effected by screwing the nut 22 to be engaged by themember 16 at the desired point in the opening of the door. Openingmovement of the door beyond this point will cause compression of thespring to take place due to the movement transmitted by the door to thenut 22. For example, when the door is opened from the position shown inFigure 6 to that shown in Figure 7 the member 16 moves along the spring,merely causing bending thereof: if now the door be further opened, thenin addition to further bending of the spring there also occurscompression of the spring, This involves additional work to be done inopening the door and the nut 22 can be arranged so as to present littleadditional work during a normal opening of the door but to requireconsiderable force beyond the normal opening: thus it follows that thenut 22 may be employed as a door stop.

If it be desired to hold the door partly or fully open (as for examplein the position shown in Figure 7), this is effected by opening the doorto the required extent and then screwing the nut 21 up to the member 16(as for example to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 7) thedoor will now remain held but still renders it possible to open the doorfurther, the door when released returning to the position of openingdeter mined by the nut.

Preferably, and as is shown in Figure 6, the aperture in the member 16is displaced from the door further than is the aperture in the member17. This causesthe spring to the spring can be wholly withdrawn where-Yupon the door will function as an If it be desired to employ the'devicesolely as a door closing device, it would not be necessary to secureboth ends of the spring 7', a locking plate 11, 12 or nut 21, 22 forone'end of the spring acting merely as a device for effecting adJustmentof the returning force exerted by the spring,

It will be seen that the L-shaped pieces 1, 2 are so dimensionedrelatively to one another that when the spring 7 is removed, the door orthe like can be swung through nearly 180 as indicated in chain dottedlines in Figure 1, i. e. there is no substantial interference betweenthe two pieces; v

In the application of the invention to metal doors and the like, the twome'mbers'may if desired be formed as integral parts of the door andframe thereof instead of being adapted for attachment thereto.

It will be understood that the invention is not confined in itsapplication for use with doors.

WVhat I claim is 1. In combination with a member and a member mounted toswing relatively thereto, spring means anchored to one member, guidemeans on the other member for the spring means, means coacting with thespring means operable to limit movement of the guide member to differentpositions alongthe spring means to accordingly limit movement of thesecond member in one direction, such spring means permitting movement ofthe second member in the opposite direction notwithstandingthe'p'osition of the'third mentioned means. 7

2. A device of the class described comprising first and second membershinged together, spring means anchored to one member, guide means on theother member for the spring means, means coacting with the spring meansoperable to limit movement of the guide member to different positionsalong the spring means to accordingly limit movement of the secondmember in one direction, such spring means permitting movement of thesecond member in the opposite direction notwithstandingthe position ofthe third mentioned means.

3. The combination of a pair of members having relative opening andclosing movement, a coil spring, means for securing one end of thespring to one of the members and means mounted on the other member forsecuring the said other member to the spring at different points in thelength thereof.

4. The combination of a pair of relatively movable members, a coilspring, means for securing one end of the spring to one of the membersand a locking member mounted on the other member and being movablebetween different turns of the spring to secure the thereof.

said other member to the springat different; 7

points in the length thereof. 7,

5. The combination of a pair of relatively movable members, a coilspring secured to one of the members, and a locking device piv- 1 otallymounted in a aw on the other member and movable between different turnsof the spring to secure the said 'othermember to the spring at differentpoints in the length 6. The combination of a pair of members havingopening and closing relative movement,'a spring secured to one memberand bearing against the other member so that the spring is bent when themembers are moved in the direction of opening, and a pair of abutmentsmounted for adJustment on the spring and engageable respectively by thesecond member in opposite directions of movement thereof. 7

- 7 The combination of a pair of members having relative opening andclosing move-.

ment, a coil spring secured at one end tov one'of the members, andbearing agalnst' the other member so that the spring is bent when themembers aremoved in the directionof opening, and a nut which is screwedto engage vthe turns of the spring, the nut being adjustable on thespring and engageable by the second movable member when relativemovement is caused by the spring.

8. The combiantion of a pair of members having relativejopening andclosing movement, a coil spring secured at one end to one of the membersand bearing against the other i members so that the spring is bent whenthe members are moved in the direction of opening, and a pair of nutswhich are screwed to engage the turns of the spring so asto beadjustable thereon and are respectively en-' gageable bythe'secondmovable member in opposite directions of relative movement between thesaid members. =8; The combination of a pair of members having relativeopening and closing movement, a coil spring secured to one of themembers, and bearing against .the other memher so that the spring isbent when the members are moved in the "direction of opening, and anabutment on the spring for engagement by the other member when the saidother member is rection of closing. 7

10; The combination of a coil spring, a pair of members having relativeopening and closing movement, one member being formed with an aperturethreaded to conform with theturns ofthe springwhich'la-tter is screwedat one end into said aperture and which bears-against the other memberso that the spring is bent when the members are moved in the directionof opening, and means mount 'ed for adjustable engagement with thespring at different points lengthwise thereof, for preventing relativemovement between the partially moved in the diselected point and theother member at least in one direction.

11. The combination of a coil spring, a pairof members having relativeopening and closing movement, one member being formed with an aperturethreaded to conform with the turns of'the spring which-latter is screwedat one end into said aperture and which bears against the other memberso that the spring is bent when the members are moved in the directionof opening, and a nut which is screwed to engage the turns of thespring, the nut being adjustable on the spring and engageable by thesecond member after a partial closing movement.

12. The combination of a coil spring, a pair of members having relativeopening and closing movement, one member being formed with an aperturethreaded to conform with the turns of the spring which latter is screwedat one end into said aperture and which bears against the other membersothat the spring is bent when the members are moved in the direction ofopening, and a pair of nuts which are screwed to engage the turns of thespring so as to be adjustable thereon and are respectively engageable bythe second movable member in opposite directions of relative movementbetween the said members.

- 13. The combination of a coil spring, a'

pair of members having relative opening and closing movement, one memberbeing formed with an aperturethre-aded to conform with the turns of thespring which latter is screwed at one end into said aperture and whichbears against the other member so that the spring is bent when themembers are moved in the direction of opening, and an abutment on thespring for engagement by the other member after a partial closingmovement.

14. The combination of a pair of members having relative opening andclosing movement, a spring, means for securing the spring to one of themembers, the spring bearing against the other member so that the springis bent when the members are moved in the direction of opening, andmeans mounted for adjustable engagement with the spring at differentpoints lengthwise thereof, for preventing relative movement between thesaid point and the other member at leastfor part of the normal relativemovement between the two members and at least in one direction.

15. The combination of a pair of members having relative opening andclosing movement, a coil spring secured at one end to one of themembers, and bearing against the other member so that the spring is bentwhen the members are moved in the direction of opening, a nut which isscrewed to engage the turns of the spring, the nut being adjustable onthe spring and engageable by the second movable member in the directionof closing movement, and a silencing pad on the nut.

16. The combination of a pair of members having relative opening-andclosing move} ment, a coil spring secured at one end to one of themembers and bearing against the other member so that the spring is bentwhen the members are moved in the direction of opening, a pair of nutsengaging the. turns of the spring so as to be adjustable thereon andre.- spectively engageable by the second movable member in oppositedirections of relative movement between the said members, and silencingpads on the nuts. u

17. The combination of a pair of members having relative opening and.closing movement, a coil spring, means forsecuring the spring to one ofthe members, the spring bearing against the other member so that thespring is bent when the members are movedin the direction of opening, anabutment on the spring for engagement by the other member after thelatter has partially closed,'and a silencing pad on the abutment.

18. In combination, a member adapted to be swung, a compressive springanchored at .one end, the spring and the axis of movement of the saidmember being in cruciform rela-v tion, said member at one portion beingcapable of movement longitudinally of the spring toward said anchoredend, and means to causev the spring to hold the member resiliently atdifferent predetermined degrees of opening while enabling the member tobe moved from the selected position against the action of the springtodistort the spring between the anchored end of the spring andthe zoneof engagement bysaid means so that when released the springwill returnthe member to the selected position. V V In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my invention I have signed my name this- 27th day of June,1932. WILLIAM JAMES HYDE.

